Save the World Again
by mcdorfman
Summary: Fluff fic, written for a friend. In a time of war, Commander Shepard didn't want to think about settling down with someone...then came Samantha. FemShep/Traynor. Rated T to be safe, may downgrade if necessary.


_Author's Note: Hi there! Jonathan here with a new Mass Effect story! Normally, I would have been working on the other two stories I have (and if you haven't read them before, please…do so! ^_^), but I was asked to write this by a friend of mine as a birthday present. The actual present to her is more…tangible (and pretty expensive, you'd think that really good paper and a leather binder wouldn't cost so much, wouldn't you?) than simply posting it here on , and it was completed long before now but I was a little ill so I decided not to publish it here until I felt better. I do now, so yay!_

_Anyway, this is a FemShep/Traynor fluff fic, based on the destroy ending. Pretty much everything that was written here is what my friend wanted…even her request of using __**my**__ FemShep as the protagonist…don't ask. So if there's anything you don't particularly like about this story or contradicts established ME lore…then blame her!_

_Ah well, since I have to use my own FemShep (God knows why…), here are a few details about her:_

_Jennifer Shepard – Colonist/Ruthless/Vanguard/Paragade (I actually romanced Liara in my playthrough, but…)_

_Face Code (as of ME3): __733 RCI N1A K8N JFB 4DL 4DE 717 E76 147 BG6 416_

_Saved: Wrex, Kaidan, all ME2 characters._

_Ending Chosen: Destroy._

_And there we have it! Also, since this is a one-shot story, I would like to thank everyone who chooses to review this story, favourite this story/me personally/both, and/or follow this story (dunno why, it's a one-shot)/me/both in advance. Thanks all!_

_Anyway, I do hope that you enjoy this story! Please review! It's like crack to me. And as the Klingons say: "Qapla'!"_

* * *

_**Save the World Again.**_

_**A Mass Effect fanfiction by mcdorfman**_

Shepard awoke with a gasp. She was just dreaming again, that same damn dream with the forest and…that child burning before her. The only difference this time was that she burned alone with him. Shepard hated those dreams; they were a reminder that no matter how hard she tried; she couldn't save everyone in this damn war.

The Commander felt the beautiful woman she had slept with stirring beside her. It was Specialist Traynor – Samantha – who, like most of the Normandy's crew, was on the ship while Joker had hijacked it. Samantha was from Alliance R&D, she used to work in a lab until the retrofits to the ship required her expertise in quantum entanglement communication. The attack on Earth had forced Traynor to serve the ship as a kind of 'unofficial' yeoman. At least she wasn't stuck guarding the War Room, unlike Joker's former guards. Those two were chomping at the bit at any opportunity to get in the fight.

But throughout Traynor's short service on her ship, she and the Commander had become…closer and their relationship eventually had grown into an intimate one. Shepard thought it weird. When all this had started three years ago, Shepard did not think that pursuing a relationship of this nature was appropriate. She was an Alliance officer – and a high ranking one at that – and there was a little something called 'fraternisation' which would put a damper on things anyway. But this war was unlike anything she had fought before. Shepard had been fighting almost her entire life. When the batarians had raided her colony and killed her parents. When Shepard had fought on Torfan, a battle which bestowed upon her that dark reputation for being merciless toward her enemies. When she had fought against Saren, and the geth, making a lot of tough choices along the way, as she did in the fight against the Collectors. But now? The likelihood that they could all die has risen by a factor which Shepard didn't want to know, it made even less sense to her that she be with anyone at this point in time.

But somewhere along the way, something had just…_clicked_ with Traynor – _Samantha_. She _wanted_ to pursue a relationship with this woman. And something told her that that very same woman was very much interested in the same thing.

As she watched the coffee-coloured woman sleep, her head resting on the Commander's shoulder, Shepard replayed the time spent with this beautiful woman. Samantha had been so nervous in meeting her: the great Commander Jennifer Shepard, 'Butcher of Torfan', 'Hero of the Citadel', the woman who had been right about the Reapers all along. Traynor had relaxed around her considerably when she had told her to calm down, even to the point where Samantha had struck up a topic about her abominably expensive toothbrush. Yeah, she really was on her own with that one.

It was Samantha who – in a time where Shepard felt the stress – said something which sounded vaguely like an order that her commanding officer get some sleep. Traynor had simply explained that it was a "polite suggestion from someone with a…_vested interest_ in your success…Commander." Traynor probably hadn't noticed, but Shepard had caught the Comm Specialist checking out her butt as she said those words. But still…forty winks didn't hurt.

And then there was the 'Game Night'. Traynor had been invited to her quarters for a game of Chess, instead of playing Chess, they had instead made out in Shepard's shower, quickly finding out that as interesting sex in a shower looked it was hardly practical…or safe. And so, they had moved their activities to the bed, engaging in a night of passionate lovemaking…though they had joked that she was only using Shepard for her shower. Samantha was free to use it anytime she wanted.

Their relationship, while private, had progressed just as much as any other relationship had since the beginning of time. Shepard had even recalled promising her that when this war was over, Samantha and she would be sipping drinks in Vancouver. "Vancouver," Traynor had said, in a tone which hinted at disappointment. "Not Paris, not Venice. _Vancouver_."

"It's a lovely city," Shepard pointed out to her. What was wrong with Vancouver?

"You never take me anywhere nice," the Comm Specialist grumbled.

When Thessia fell, Shepard had felt the burden on her shoulder's get a little heavier. She was getting sick of Cerberus beating them to the punch, and because of that, Shepard had been unapproachable for a while. They all were in a way, especially Liara, whose homeworld was suffering the same fate as Earth and Palaven, but somehow, Thessia felt like a more painful blow to all of them. Thankfully, Comm Specialist Traynor had a lead as to where Cerberus might be hiding, yet the trail had ended on her home colony: Horizon. Shepard scowled as she remembered the abomination that was Sanctuary. It was meant to be a safe haven for those refugees looking to hide from the Reapers while they purged the Galaxy of life, but it was just a front for something much more sinister. Sanctuary was in fact a Cerberus facility, where innocent people of all races were converted into husks to be experimented on, to study ways on how to control the Reapers. It wasn't just the adults whom Cerberus had used…but the children also. It made Shepard sick to her stomach. _They_ were supposed to be fighting for humanity? When Samantha had found out what they did, she was furious. Horizon was her home, and they had turned it into a slaughterhouse!

She wanted them all dead. She wanted Commander Shepard to tear them all apart. The Commander had reassured her that she will, and had asked her not to let what they had done change who she was. The kind, beautiful, smart young woman whom Shepard had somehow fallen in love with in these dark times…and quite possibly the one woman in this galaxy who could make _Chess_ sound sexy.

"I'm a military officer on a military ship," Traynor had snapped at her, still furious with that those Cerberus bastards had done. "So 'ooh-rah,' Commander. Let's go blow them to hell."

They got their chance. The trail might have ended with Horizon, but Sanctuary had provided them with an opportunity. Miranda Lawson, an old squad mate of Shepard's, had a run-in with Kai Leng – The Illusive Man's personal assassin, and the man who had killed Thane, and thwarted them on Thessia. Before Miranda escaped, she had placed a tracker on his person, which had given the Commander the current whereabouts of the assassin: the Anadius system in the Horse Head Nebula, wherein lies Cerberus Headquarters, also known as 'Cronos Station'.

They were on their way to put an end to Cerberus right now – with Admiral Hackett and the Fifth Fleet. Shepard was here in her quarters, datapad in hand, studying on the current status of the war effort, when Samantha had invited herself in. "The fleets are mobilising," she had said, her voice hinted that that was not the reason she was here. "Looks like it'll be a few hours yet. Comm channels are full. Not much to do now but wait."

"So you thought you'd sneak in one last shower?" Shepard had asked with a tired grin.

"If there's any hot water left," answered Samantha, giving her lover a small smile. The Comm Specialist looked as if she was treading on egg shells, and Shepard hated that she had to. It was her own damn fault, if she hadn't been so…bitchy since Thessia… She just wanted to hold Samantha in her arms and reassure her that they were going to be alright. "Or…if you wanted some company?"

Shepard had then twinned her fingers with Samantha's, holding on as she stroked the back of her hand with her thumb. She had looked in her eyes with longing, and tenderness. "Will you stay here with me?" she had asked. "Until the call comes?"

"I think I can manage that," answered Samantha, smiling at Shepard's lips found hers, soft and tender, yet filled with the strength of a soldier. Time seemed to stand still as they made love. They took it slow, gentle, as Samantha had taken the lead. Neither of them wanted this to become the frenzied passion that each of them had expected so close to the endgame. The only thing Shepard could focus on was Samantha's touch over her body; her lover's hands and the heat of her mouth, each stroke and tender kiss was like a gift to her. She was in awe of how firm Samantha was, and yet so soft. Samantha was masterful as she had brought her to the edge and over, into release. Their hearts went a mile a minute as they settled into each other's arms, sweaty and completely content. The rest of their evening was filled with gentle kisses and idle caresses until they had fallen asleep, and then the dream came, and Shepard had woken up.

Shepard stroked Samantha's arm gently as she moved her away from her shoulder, careful that she didn't wake her. She was unsuccessful as her eyes opened almost as soon as the contact had ceased. "Dreams again?" she asked as her lover sat up on the edge of the bed.

"Yeah," Shepard answered simply. Traynor frowned as she leaned in closer to her, placing a comforting arm across Shepard's waist. Samantha knew of the dreams she was having. They sounded awful. She couldn't possibly imagine what her lover was going through, but…she was here for as long as Shepard needed her.

"Well…I'll be damned," Samantha said, after a short silence.

"What?"

"Nothing, just never thought I'd see a woman under all that armour," replied the Comm Specialist. Which was true. Here she was, Commander Shepard, an Alliance N7 marine – a bloody _Spectre agent_ – the greatest soldier in the galaxy, one of humanity's most powerful biotics, a galactic saviour, and her own personal hero, who had unknowingly saved her when the Collectors had attacked Horizon, so long ago, and…and she was just as human as the rest of them. Samantha stroked Shepard's waist comfortingly as she spoke. "Do you remember how scared I was when I met you?" she asked as her lover looked at her, listening to what she had to say. "I was terrified. Of the Reapers. The war. Everything. You helped me." In more ways than one. "I wouldn't mind returning the favour," she prompted her lover to talk to her, to unburden herself of any doubts which Samantha could help her with, even if it was just a comforting word in her ear, or her shoulder to cry on.

Shepard breathed out a heavy sigh as she looked away from Samantha, her shoulders slumped and her eyes showed the tiredness of it all. What she wouldn't give for all of this to be over already, and that she could finally rest easy knowing that the future was free of the Reapers. "I have done everything I can to win this war," Shepard whispered to her finally, rubbing her eyes wearily. "And I don't know if it's enough."

Samantha knew what she meant. The Reapers were unlike any enemy that _anyone_ had ever fought. They were powerful, ruthless, a person's worst nightmares given form. Sometimes, when Samantha was alone in bed, staring at the ceiling, she would wonder if this was a fight that they could win. And whenever she thinks like that, whenever she begins to lose hope, she also thinks of Shepard. She had killed Reapers before, had proven to the entire Galaxy that they were not the invincible god-like machines they appeared to be. They were created, which meant that they could be destroyed also. Yes. If there ever was a hope that the Reapers were to be defeated once and for all, Shepard was its best chance. And Shepard gave her hope.

"There's nobody I'd rather have rolling those dice," said Samantha. "You're smart. You're lucky, and…I'm pretty sure you _cheat_."

Shepard gave a short, surprised laugh as she turned to face her lover. "Maybe a little," she admitted with a smirk.

Samantha shared her smirk. "So suck it up, princess," she ordered her commanding officer. "You're in the military now, and you're going to win this for us." She lifted her head to meet Shepard's in a deep, loving kiss, one filled with promise.

* * *

The CIC was as silent as a tomb, and the atmosphere was thick with tension as the Normandy flew through the emptiness of space. They were on their way to finish this war, now. One way or another. Commander Shepard had infiltrated Cronos Station as the Alliance fleet did battle with the Cerberus forces guarding it. She and her squad mates had fought their way into the Illusive Man's central chamber, where the prothean VI, Vendetta, lie. That VI had the answer to a very important question, one which was vital to the completion of the Crucible. 'What is the Catalyst?' Vendetta attempted to answer that question on Thessia, when Cerberus interfered and had stolen the VI. And then they had to get it back, and destroy Cerberus on the way. The Commander had faced heavy resistance on her journey through Cerberus Headquarters. Cerberus troopers had literally thrown themselves at her in order to protect the core of the station, until Kai Leng had finally intervened.

To Commander Shepard, the fight against this Cerberus assassin was personal. That bastard had been a thorn in her side since the Cerberus coup on the Citadel.

He thwarted her on Thessia, using waves of troops and a gunship to aid him in stealing the prothean VI.

Eventually he had succeeded, despite the best efforts of Shepard and her allies.

"Cerberus thanks you for all your hard work," he gloated as he walked away from the temple to Athame, leaving Shepard holding on for dear life. When Thessia had fallen, the assassin had sent her a message; gloating –_ gloating_ – that she had lacked the strength to win, and now an entire planet was dying because of it. He had promised to re-write Shepard's 'legend', hoping to be there for the final chapter, ending with her death. As the Commander read the message – over and over again, burning the words in her memory – she promised herself that she would be there for the end of _his_ story.

Kai Leng had also killed a good friend of hers, Thane Krios, as he tried to assassinate the salarian councillor. It was a testament to the drell assassin's skill as a fighter that this man, a fellow N7, so teched up on Reaper implants, could not succeed in eliminating his target.

Thane was right; Kai Leng _should_ have been ashamed. Shepard enjoyed every minute of their confrontation in the Illusive Man's chamber, he wasn't getting away this time, and there were no gunship there to help him out. And when Shepard had finally ended the assassin's life, it was with the greatest of satisfaction. "That was for Thane you son of a bitch!" she snarled as she plunged her omni-blade deeper in his chest before removing it violently.

Finally, Vendetta was in Shepard's grasp. It could finally provide the answer she was looking for. 'What is the Catalyst'? Her eyes widened when it answered that the Catalyst was the Citadel, and that the Citadel had been taken by the Reapers and moved it to the system that her species referred to as 'Sol'. "Earth…"

So here they are, travelling to Earth with the combined might of the entire galaxy. The entire war could be won or lost in the next few hours. Samantha was nervous, for more reasons than one. One of them was her lover, Commander Shepard. In a few hours, she'll be flying down to Earth's surface, to the city of London – where her parents were originally from, before they moved to Horizon – where she will take part in the Hammer operation. She was worried for her. London had the heaviest Reaper presence on Earth; they were guarding the conduit where one could travel onto the Citadel. Which was the plan, Hammer would assault the conduit, use it to board the station, and from there open the arms for the Crucible to dock. She knew that everything was going to be alright, that Shepard was going to be alright, but still…

Samantha felt her lover's presence behind her. "Ready whenever you are, Commander," she said as she turned and saluted her commanding officer, like a true professional officer of the Alliance.

"Samantha…" Shepard said quietly.

"Jennifer, don't," the Comm Specialist stopped her with a gesture. "If you start…I'll burst into tears in the middle of the CIC, and that would be mortifying." She then smiled at the beautiful woman before her, her commanding officer, her friend and lover, the woman who was going to win this for them. "Thanks for everything," she said with a grateful smile. "Even if we don't end up with the house with the white picket fence, and the two kids." Samantha looked at the expression on Shepard's face and wondered if she had just said the wrong thing. They were in a relationship, sure, but maybe that was moving too quickly. She really did want those things, and moreover, she wanted them with her, but…maybe she didn't, at least not yet.

"Sorry…" she apologised, looking at her feet. "Stupid joke."

Samantha felt her lover's hands grasp hers, causing her to look at Shepard's face again. The expression she was that of agreement and of the promise that Samantha will get what she wants. "That sounds pretty good to me," she said, stroking the back of Samantha's hands with her thumbs. And it _did_ sound good to her. Maybe after this war had finished, and the Reapers were finally dead, she could retire somewhere quiet – that house Samantha mentioned – and enjoy raising a family with her, with no demands on her, no life or death decisions…just her, just Samantha…and a couple of Shepard juniors.

Samantha gave her lover a shy little smile. "Okay good," she finally said when Shepard's words had computed in her brain. She wants that? With me? The light in her eyes brightened, and the joy she felt was immense as she spoke. "Because I wasn't really joking," she squeezed her lover's hands tightly, as if she never wanted to let go. "I want a big house, with a white picket fence. And a dog – some kind of retriever…I'm thinking two kids, but…are you writing this down?"

Shepard let go of Samantha's hands and smiled at her. "I'll remember," she promised.

"You damn well better," she demanded as she drew Shepard in an embrace. Neither of them wanted to let go at that moment. "Whatever happens," Samantha whispered in Shepard's ear. "I love you, Jennifer Shepard." When they had disengaged, Samantha looked on her with great pride. "Now go save the world. Again."

* * *

Admiral Jennifer Shepard (retired) stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the collar to her uniform for the hundredth time. The damn thing just didn't look right! She grumbled inwardly, frustrated and wishing she could go to the anniversary ceremony in her old N7 armour, armed to the teeth. Well the other guests would be delighted if she did…some more than others.

Ten years. It had been ten years ago, to the day, that the Reapers had been destroyed. The fighting in London so long ago had been brutal; Hammer squad was only a fraction of its original strength by the time they had landed. They had fought against the abominations that were the Reapers' forces, the husks and cannibals, the banshees and brutes. And then they had reached the conduit, the beam which led to the Citadel, the bean guarded by Harbinger. Brave men and women of every species died as Harbinger unleashed its fury, protecting the conduit. For a time, Shepard had thought that she would die right then and there – she certainly thought the same of Garrus when Harbinger's weapon fired close to him. He was hurt bad. She had to summon the Normandy, had to get Garrus out of there, and ordered Kaidan to take him, under protest from both men.

She continued alone, before she was almost blown apart by Harbinger. The Commander was in a great deal of pain, she was burned, broken, probably near death, but she had to keep moving, she had to get to the Citadel and open the arms.

She did.

Anderson joined her, as did the Illusive Man. He had taken control of both their bodies, demonstrating the power at his fingertips as he forced Shepard to shoot her old friend and mentor. It had taken a great deal of effort to convince the leader of Cerberus that he was nothing more than a Reaper puppet. Her words only served to anger the Illusive Man, fully convinced that he was still sound of mind. His anger gave her an opportunity as she felt the control over her slip. Now was her chance. She squeezed the trigger on her pistol, the bullet tearing through his chest. When she had finally opened the arms of the Citadel, she heard the Illusive Man's dying words, just barely.

"There…Earth…" he choked out. "If only you could see it like I do, Shepard. It's so…perfect."

Yeah. It was. For once, Commander Shepard had to agree with the Illusive Man.

Anderson was seated against the central hub of the room they were in. Hand over his wound, trying in vain to stop the blood flowing from the gunshot. He had told her that it felt like years since he just…sat down. Anderson earned a rest. They just sat there, admiring the view of Earth with the best seats in the house, talking about how things could have been different if all of this hadn't happened. The Admiral mentioned that he never had a family, never had children, to which Shepard replied that there would be time enough for that now. "I…I think that ship has sailed," Anderson chuckled mirthlessly before asking whether Shepard thought about settling down. Yes, she did. She wasn't sure that she'd be much good at it though.

"I don't know, Shepard," he said smiling at his protégé. "I think you'd make a great mother."

"Uh-huh."

"Think how proud you kids would be, telling everyone their…their _mom_ is Commander Jennifer Shepard."

It did sound pretty good to her, like she had promised Samantha. That they would settle down together, and raise some kids. But… "Not everything I've done is something to be proud of." Which was true, Shepard had to do some very difficult things in order to get to this point. Things which another person would probably choose another option were it presented to them.

"Come here," Anderson ordered his protégé as she leant beside him. "_I'm_ proud of you," he said with a certainty only a father could bestow. And he was like a father to her. When her parent's died, Shepard was all alone in this universe. And then she joined the Alliance, and eventually met the then-Captain Anderson, who had taken her under his wing, had been there for her, had taught her everything he knew. He was her friend, her mentor, and a man whom she could take one look at, and think to herself: 'this is a man I'd be proud to call Father'.

"You did good, child. You did good. I'm…proud of you."

And with those words, David Anderson had drawn his final breath.

"Thank you, sir…"

She didn't remember much after that. Only half remembered words from Admiral Hackett being barked through her barely working comm. She had passed out, and woken up somewhere else entirely.

Outside the Citadel.

It was a sight to behold; here she was – exposed to space – the might of the galaxy pitted against the might of the Reapers, ships being torn apart by the powerful weapons she herself almost had become victim to, and the Crucible above her, connected to the station by a bright light. She stood before a ghostly image, which had introduced itself as the Catalyst, who in their conversation had revealed a terrible truth to her.

It was the creator of the Reapers.

They were its solution 'to chaos'. It told the Commander that the created would always turn against the creator. Eons ago, both synthetic life and organic were on the verge of extinction, until a race long forgotten had created this AI, which was designed to come up with a solution – to be the 'catalyst' for peace – and its solution came in the form of the Reapers. It would help the existing races ascend to what it considered a higher form of existence, paving the way for the next generation, and storing the old life in Reaper form, and had been doing so for billions of years.

The cycle had to end.

The Crucible had altered the variables. It had proven to the Catalyst that its solution no longer worked, and so must find a new solution. It sought Shepard's aid in this endeavour, presenting her with a choice.

It was in her power to destroy it and its creations, but it had warned her that the Crucible would not discriminate – it would destroy all synthetic life, not just the Reapers. And it promised that – eventually – synthetic life would return, and chaos would plague the galaxy once more. But the Reapers would be destroyed.

Or did she think that she could control the Reapers? The Illusive Man was right all along, but he could not control them, because they had already controlled him. But she could. She would die, all that would be her would be lost, but what would remain would become the Reapers' master. Shepard would assume direct control. The Reapers would obey her.

The final choice was what the Catalyst considered the perfect solution. Synthesis. Shepard would add her life energy to that of the Crucible, the following chain reaction would alter the framework of all life in the galaxy into a new…DNA. Life itself – synthetic and organic – would become merged. There would be peace.

Neither of these choices held any appeal to her. But she had to choose. Did she destroy the Reapers, and condemn EDI and the geth to that very same doom? Or does she choose to control the Reapers, and doom herself to eternity, maybe even the galaxy if whatever remained of her ever restarted the cycle? Or maybe, she could force all life to change against their knowledge or their approval? She had to make the choice.

She chose to destroy the Reapers.

"I am so sorry, EDI," she whispered as she destroyed the machine which housed the Catalyst. EDI's face flashed in her mind as the explosion enveloped her.

The next thing she remembered was waking up in a hospital room in some secret Alliance base, hooked up to God knows how many machines which were keeping her alive. She was surrounded by her friends – her family – informing her that the Reapers were finally dead…as was EDI, and the geth. The following days were of great joy to the rest of the galaxy. They won. They were going to live. But for Shepard and company, their joy were overshadowed by relief that it was all over, grief for their lost friends, and the sadness that their victory had come with a heavy cost in life.

Joker refused to speak to her when she eventually confessed to him that EDI's death was on her, even to this day. Shepard didn't blame him. The powers that be had given her medals up to her neck and a promotion to Admiral, but…she'd give it all back if it meant that Joker could forgive her. That was all that mattered to her, then.

But she had to make the choice. Maybe she chose wrong, maybe not, but it was something that Admiral Shepard had to live with for the rest of her life.

But it was not all bad.

"Are you still playing around with your collar?" her wife's voice drew Shepard back to the present. Samantha Shepard approached the retired Admiral, her own uniform was immaculate. "Forty-two years old and you still haven't mastered a bloody collar!" she tutted at her wife, swatting away her hands so that she could do it herself. "Our son mastered it, and he's eight!"

"Yeah, well…David takes after you," Shepard smiled at her, as she lifted her chin to make Samantha's job easier.

"And Hannah takes after _you_," Samantha finished her wife's collar and gave her a quick peck on the lips. The Admiral drew her in for a deeper kiss. After all these years and Samantha Shepard – nee Traynor – still puts up with her. It _must_ be love. Well…it must be since she said 'yes' to that dreaded question. Shepard remembered one night, in that hospital room when she was supposed to be resting. They were alone, making small talk until she sat up as best she could – not an easy feat, considering – and just…proposed. She was still hooked up to the machinery, and so the traditional approach was out of the question. But she could wait for the perfect moment and it still wouldn't be enough. And so she thought to hell with it, and just proposed.

It was a simple ceremony in Paris, some nice little place which wasn't too ruined by the Reapers. All of their friends were there – even Joker, though he did not stay long – and Garrus did Shepard the honour of being her 'best turian'. She was certainly happy to perform the duties of the turian equivalent at his and Tali's wedding, a couple of years later.

They had gotten the house that Samantha always wanted, the one with the white picket fence. The retriever did not come until much later, long after the birth of their first child, David, who was named after the late Admiral Anderson. Two years after his birth, they had added to their family, with a little girl – Hannah – named after Shepard's late mother, and she was just as much like the Admiral was at age six. A little biotic hellraiser! She'll have to remember Grissom Academy's Ascension project for when Hannah becomes a teenager…

"Ugh! Yuck!" their son's voice had interrupted their impromptu make-out session. Samantha gave a short laugh as they turned to see the little eight-year old who looked exactly like a male version of Samantha. The look on David's face was just like that of every other child who had caught their parent's kissing, as if it were the most disgusting thing in the galaxy.

"You'll change your tone when you're older, young man," teased Shepard with a smirk. David looked unconvinced, but they knew that they would be looking forward to a 'fun time' when David discovers girls.

"At any rate, is your sister ready?" asked Samantha.

"Mm-hmm," answered their son wordlessly, nodding his little head. "She tried to lift the dog again," he informed his parents.

Admiral Shepard just palmed her face in response. Ever since little Hannah had developed biotic powers; she had developed this little habit of wanting to biotically lift their dog. When they had talked about it with her, she always protested, claiming that the dog "wants to fly!". Shepard had to laugh at that; after all, she tried the same thing with the neighbour's cat back on Mindoir. Technically, it was cruel to the dog, but Hannah was just a little girl with biotics…being a little girl with biotics, she doesn't really know better. All kids did dumb things. Unfortunately, Hannah's other mother was not amused. As if she never did a dumb thing at that age.

But still, Hannah's definitely going to Grissom when she's older.

"I'll go talk to her," said the Admiral, sighing. "The shuttle's going to be here soon." She made her way out of the bedroom and quickly moved to the sound of barking, fully ready to save the world. Again.

**The End.**


End file.
